Check It Out: Colors and shapes books available at the Brown County libraries

"Open this Little Book" by Jesse Klausmeier, designed and illustrated by Suzy Lee, is a cleverly engineered book-within-a-book times eight. A progression of animals (and a giant) opens their own story books, and the character within that book opens another book, leading to progressively smaller books. The center book is a Thumbelina-sized curiosity, and from there the reader closes all the previously opened books until the last page is reached. Each book is a different rainbow color with patterned covers that gives a hint to the identity of the next reader. For example, the little green book with a lily pad pattern contains a frog who opens a carrot-patterned orange book to read about a rabbit. The final page unites all the animals in a forest library. This joyous ode to the worlds within stories teaches color, pattern, and size in a wonderfully clever way. Share this with children ages 3-6.

Colors

"Green" by Laura Vacarro Seeger

Seeger is well-known for her innovative concept books that feature die-cuts and surprises galore. Green teaches the concept of the shades within a single color. From the blue-green shade of the sunlit sea to the crisp green of a lime, this is both a sophisticated color study and a celebration of nature for preschool through kindergarten.

"Press Here" by Herve Tullet

This interactive conceptual emporium of a book is impossible to categorize. Dots change in number, shape, size, and pattern as children follow the book's commands. Children will enjoy touching the dots, shaking the book, and turning pages in a hands-on adventure that morphs the scenery in front of their eyes. This pre-school/kindergarten favorite has achieved the impossible: children will be clamoring to follow orders!

"Red Car, Red Bus" by Susan Steggall

Short in height and long in width, this book takes readers on the road to learn three important kindergarten readiness skills: colors, sequencing, and patterns. Toddlers will name the types and colors of vehicles parading across the page. Preschoolers are able to practice their sequencing skills and may be inspired to create a story to go along with the ever-changing scenes as the road winds through city and country.

"And to Name Just a Few: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue" by Laurie Rosenwald

"The Artist who Painted a Blue Horse" by Eric Carle

"Baby Bear Sees Blue" by Ashley Wolff

"Baby Shoes" by Dashka Slater

"Blue Goose" by Nancy Tafuri

"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Bill Martin, Jr.

"The Color Box" by Dayle Ann Dodds

"A Color of His Own" by Leo Lionni

"The Deep Blue Sea: A Book of Colors" by Audrey Wood

"Dog's Colorful Day" by Emily Dodd

"I Know a Wee Piggy" by Kim Norman

"I Like Black and White"/"I Like Colors" by Barbara Hicks

"Mis Colores, Mi Mundo/My Colors, My World" by Maya Gonzalez

"Monsters Love Colors" by Mike Austin

"Mouse Paint" by Ellen Stole Walsh

"My Crayons Talk" by Patricia Hubbell

"My Little Colors Book" by Roger Priddy (Board Book)

"My Many Colored Days" by Dr. Seuss

"One" by Kathryn Otoshi

"One Blue Fish: A Colorful Counting Book" by Charles Reasoner

"One Sheep, Blue Sheep" by Thom Wiley (Board Book)

"A Piece of Chalk" by Jennifer Ericsson

"Pirate Nap: A Book of Colors" by Danna Smith

"Purple Little Bird" by Greg Foley

"The Smiley Book of Colors" by Ruth Kaiser

"Summertime Rainbow: A Bilingual Book of Colors" by Belle Yang (Board Book)

"Wow! Said the Owl" by Tim Hopgood

Shapes

"Lots of Dots" by Craig Frazier

This vivid and energetic book is an ode to circles in our world. From naturally occurring dots to the man-made variety, this jubilant rhyming spree offers secondary lessons in colors and counting as well. Use this with toddlers and preschoolers and soon they'll be pointing out dots everywhere they roam.

"Baby's Shapes" by Karen Katz (Board Book)

"Circle Dogs" by Kevin Henkes

"Circles, Stars, and Squares: Looking for Shapes" by Jane Brocket

"Go Away, Big Green Monster!" by Ed Emberley

"It Looked Like Spilt Milk" by Charles Green Shaw

"Mouse Shapes" by Ellen Stoll Walsh

"Round, Square, Triangle" by Dick Bruna

"Shapes Around Us" by Daniel Nunn (Board Book)

"Shape by Shape" by Suze MacDonald

"Shape Capers" by Cathryn Falwell

"Shapes" by Simon Basher (Board Book)

"So Many Circles, So Many Squares" by Tana Hoban

"Spot's Shapes: A Touch and Feel Book" by Eric Hill (Board Book)

"Square Cat" by Elizabeth Schoonmaker

Parent-Teacher

"Learn Every Day about Shapes: Best Ideas from Teachers" by Kathy Charmer

"Literacy Beginnings: A Prekindergarten Handbook" by Gay Su Pinnell

"Sorting Shapes, Show Me, and Many Other Activities for Toddlers: 13 to 24 Months" by Judy Herr

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Check It Out: Colors and shapes books available at the Brown County libraries

'Open this Little Book' by Jesse Klausmeier, designed and illustrated by Suzy Lee, is a cleverly engineered book-within-a-book times eight.

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